It’s totally normal.
I was 22 and finally starting to feelcomfortable with my bodyfor the first time.
So the second I no longer felt dependent on that, I took my freedom and ran with it.
@charlihoward
During my years without a scale, I learned to take better care of my body.
I learned todrink less alcohol, eat more vegetables, and get more steps in.
Based on how I felt, I was pretty sure I was hovering right over that goal.
Of course, I had no desire or intention to know my actual weight.
But as the nurse inched that dial rightward, I started to panic.
Objectively, I knew myweightdidn’t matter.
I felt good; I looked good.
Still, I couldn’t get that unexpectedly high number out of my mind.
I wanted to stop this freakout before it began, and I figured I couldn’t be alone.
So I got in touch with a handful of trusted health experts to help talk me down.
Keep scrolling for all the logical reasons why you shouldn’t panic about gaining a few pounds.
It can lead tofood restrictions, obsessive exercise habits, and a self-esteem nosedive.
“Think about the last time you weighed yourself,” he says.
“What time of day was it?
Were you wearing the same clothes?
Has your diet changed to justify the increase?”
Passler says to take an honest look at what you’ve eaten since you last weighed yourself.
“It is unlikely you gained five pounds of fat in one week,” he says.
“But if it is justified, own it.”
Whatever the culprit is, there are easy things you’re able to do to fix it.
So can your menstrual cycle.
“None of these reasons equate to extra body fat,” she assures.
As our immune system constantly triggers reactions to these foods, the body becomes inflamed and retains water.
James says she sees this frequently in women with gluten sensitivities who eat bread at dinner one night.
“The next day the scale is up, and they are freaking out,” she says.
Byrdie Tip
Pay attention to how different foods make your body feel.
If something makes you feel icky, don’t be afraid to eliminate it from your diet.
Think it’s the latter?
If it were over the course of three years, like me, this answer might be more likely.
“Just spend five days eating a clean, low-inflammatory diet,” says James.
“Notice how your clothes are fitting around the waist,” says O’Connor.
Or it’s possible for you to use your cardiovascular health as a measure.
“Are you huffing and puffing going up the stairs or getting winded more easily when you exercise?”
If so, it might be time to focus a bit more on healthy diet and exercise.
Brodsky recommends using technology like the iWatch or Fitbit to monitor your fitness.
And most importantly, remember to keep calm.
Let’s do it together.
Tuck CJ, Biesiekierski JR, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Pohl D.Food intolerances.Nutrients.
2019;11(7):1684. doi:10.3390/nu11071684
